COMMUNITY
COMMUNITY EDITOR
Dr. Judith A.M. Smith
President & CEO, HandsOn Jacksonville
To get involved in our community visit HandsOnJax.org
Making a Difference: non-profit & charity leaders in our community
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For more than 20 years, the Coalition has been dedicated to improving birth outcomes in the region, a commitment that has continued uninterrupted during leadership changes and agency growth over the past year. Despite overall historic progress, more work needs to be done to ensure every baby has a healthy start. There is a growing need to be more collaborative in our community to tackle the complex systems that are impacting the health of families in our community.”
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UCOM is an example of the great things that can happen in a community when churches, businesses, and civic groups work together. Our network of supporting churches and other organizations, have fed hundreds of thousands of people and provided job opportunities for thousands. Through UCOM’s programs, lives have been changed and improved. By continuing to work together, we will end hunger and poverty in our community.”
JENNIFER GORNTO
HEATHER MAUNEY
Northeast Florida Healthy Start Coalition | NEFHealthyStart.org
UCOM UrbanServ, Inc | UCOMJax.org
Jennifer Gornto, M.P.H., joined the Healthy Start Coalition in October 2013. During her tenure, she has overseen the expansion of the Magnolia Project, a federal Healthy Start program; the local implementation of the Healthy Start redesign; and the continued focus on serving babies, families and the community to improve birth outcomes and reduce infant mortality. Gornto is an experienced and enthusiastic professional with a strong background in public health, epidemiology, evaluation, marketing and community partnerships. A native of Jacksonville, she graduated with an M.P.H. from Emory University and a B.S. in Environmental Science from Mercer University.
Heather has been Executive Director of UCOM UrbanServ, Inc. since October 2012. Under her guidance and leadership, UCOM has expanded its partnership outreach to include local businesses and civic groups, as well as partnerships with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Jacksonville Giants. Service numbers have grown by 30% and our programs have grown to include an annual Christmas party, Summer Lunch Program and school supply giveaway.
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